http://canmua.net/world/gusd-joins-coalition-of-school-districts-against-554894.html
By Arin Mikalian, March 18, 2016
GUSD
joins coalition of school districts against proposed 710 Freeway tunnel
extension project : School board votes to side with neighbors against
freeway extension.
The Glendale Unified School Board took an
opposing stance to a potential tunnel extension of the Long Beach (710)
Freeway on Tuesday, siding with concerns from neighboring districts over
possible adverse impacts to student health.
The unanimous vote by
the local board is aimed at aligning Glendale Unified with the
Pasadena, South Pasadena, Burbank and La Cañada school districts within a
group called the 5-Star Education Coalition.
The collective will then vote to pass along its concerns to Gov.
Jerry Brown's office in hopes the state government will intervene and
compel Caltrans and Metro — the key principals on the potential tunnel
project — to refine their proposal. The tunnel itself may end up being
as long as 4.5 miles and would connect the 710 Freeway to Pasadena.
In the adopted resolution, Glendale Unified is challenging the
findings of a draft environmental impact report conducted by the
Metropolitan Transportation Authority.
"The [coalition] finds that
the [report] does not adequately address the adverse health and
potential cancer impacts and risks to school students, staff and parents
given a potential route's close proximity as proposed in the study,"
the resolution states.
Increased traffic was also raised as a possible negative quality-of life-impact.
"The
[coalition] does not agree with the [report's] findings that the
building of a tunnel and the expansion of State Route 710 will not bring
additional traffic," according to the resolution.
The draft environmental impact report was released last year, and
more than 2,500 public comments about it were submitted. Metro officials
are currently working to respond to all the comments.
The root of
the concerns is over an increased number of trucks passing through the
Crescenta Valley, bringing additional pollution to schools along the
Foothill (210) Freeway in La Crescenta and La Cañada.
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"We
are part of the impact, there's no question about it … I think it does
help the Crescenta Valley community to go shoulder to shoulder with them
on this issue," said board member Greg Krikorian.
The city of
Glendale is part of a five-city alliance that has already spoken out
against the 710 tunnel extension. Other nearby groups have also
expressed concerns.
"I've gone to the Crescenta Valley Town
Council, and they talked about the health issue and the impact and all
that," said board member Armina Gharpetian.
The coalition — made
up of representatives from each school district — will vote Friday
whether to adopt a final resolution to forward to Brown's office.
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